Removed from Marina, Sivaji statue finds a new place

With heavy police protection, the statue of legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan was removed from Kamaraj Salai at Marina beach in the city in the wee hours of Thursday.

TThe Public Works Department shifted the statue to the actor’s memorial built on Durgabai Deshmukh Road in Adyar in the early hours of Thursday.

It may be recalled that the Madras High Court had earlier directed the State government to remove the statue from the junction on Kamarajar Salai. With the memorial for the actor ready, PWD authorities have shifted the statue.

Recently, Madras high court rejected a last-ditch effort by the late actor’s fan club to retain the statute somewhere along the Marina Promenade, and made it clear that the pendency of a petition would not stand in the way of the government from removing it.

The city police made an elaborate security arrangement and traffic was closed on the stretch after midnight. Over 50 employees of various departments were reportedly involved in the operation.

The statue of Sivaji Ganesan, who is fondly called as ‘Nadigar Thilagam’, was unveiled at the prestigious Kamarajar Salai-RK Salai junction on the Marina, during the previous DMK regime about a decade ago.